Device for moistening the soles of boots and shoes.



A. E. JAMES. DEVICE FOR MOISTBNING THE SOLES 01-" BOOTS AND SHOES.

, APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10. 1914. 1 1 3,638, Patented Oct. 13, 1914.

C o N m G W H 5 A w a H T M O T O H F 0 C S R E T E P w R R O N E H T I l 1 I I11 Illl WlTNEESES 1 UNITED STATES PATEN OFFICE ARTHUR E. JAMES, orc mivsrolv, nnonn ISLAND;

nnvionroniviorsrmvrivo THE sonns endows AND SHOES.

Specification of Letters Patent. P t t d t, 13,1914; Application filed March 10,1914. Serial No. 823,829.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, ARTHUR E. JAMES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cranston, in the countyof Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented new and useful Improvements in Devices for Moistening the Soles of Boots and Shoes;

of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device for moistening the soles of boots and shoes, particularly adapted. to be used in connection with bowling alleys where the players wish to moisten the soles of their boots to prevent slipping when they are bowling their ball on the alley.

The object of the invention is to provide a neat and durable device of the character set forth which will enable a player to moisten the soles of his boots without getting the uppers moistened, and also the object is to provide a device of the character described which is neat in its appearance, which isso constructed as to protect the interior from dirt of any kind and which can readilybe thrown open and cleansed whenever desired. The lnvention consists 1n the combination and arrangement of parts set forth in the following specification and particularly pointed out in'the claims thereof.

Referringto the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view, partly in section, embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken on line 2-2of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

In the drawings, 5 is a casing divided into two chambers 6 and 7 by a partition 8 extending across the interior thereof. The chamber 6 is adapted to contain water and preferably has a sponge 9 located therein, the sponge being saturated with water. A foot rest 10 of inflexible material is yieldingly supported over the sponge 9 in the chamber 6 by means of springs 11, one of which is attached to each corner of said foot rest at its lower end, the upper ends of said springs being attached byscrews 12 to the casing 5. The distance to which the foot rest 10 may be moved upwardly by the springs 11 is limited by stop-rods 13 which extend across the chamber 6 above the foot rest 10 and are fastened at their opposite ends to the casing 5. The foot rest 10 is provided with perforations 14 for the purpose of allowing the water to pass through said foot rest and against the sole of the boot as hereinafter described.

. The-casing 5 is "provided on opposite sides 1 thereof with openings 15 located above the foot rest 10, so that'the foot of the user may be inserted within the chamber 6 and placed upon thefoot rest lOvpreparatory to the,

moistening operation.

Ajcover16 is hinged at17 to the casing 5 and, this cover extends over both of the chambers 6 and 7 and is provided with a semi-cylindrical portion 18 locatedabove the foot rest10to give more space for the foot of the user to be inserted in said chamber 6.

7. The cover 16 is held in its closed position by means ofa spring catch 22.

y The operation of the device hereinbefore specifically described is as follows: The

sponge 9 is saturated with water and placed in thechambjer 6 beneath the foot rest-I10. The user of thedeviceplaces his foot on the foot rest 10 and presses downwardly thereon, thus compressing-the sponge and causing the water to flow up through the perforations 14 against the sole of the boot, whereby the sole ismoistened. If, while the user, of the device is moistening the sole of his boot, he desires to expectorate, he may do so by using the cuspidor 21,and.it will be noted that when so using the cuspidor the upper of the boot which" is being moistened is fully protected against any accidental moistening thereof by expectoration of the user. Thus it will be seen that when the boot is in position to have the sole thereof moistened, the

upper is protected and kept clean from any accidentalmoistening by means of the cover 16, the device thus being constructed so that the'difl'erent parts cooperate to moisten the sole of the boot and simultaneously prevent the upper from being moistened accidentally under the ordinary conditions of use.

It will be understood that one of the im-.

portant features of my invention consists in providing a cover for the chamber containing the moistening apparatus for the sole of the boot, for the reason that where these devices are used the players will throw cigars into any receptacleof the sort which may be handy and the cover prevents the defiling of the interior of the device, while at the same time said cover leaves the device open at the sides so that the boot can be inserted and the sole thereof moistened.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire by Letters Patent to secure is:

1. Adevice for moistening the sole of a boot or shoe having, in combination, a casing provided with a chamber adapted to contain water, a perforated foot rest of in flexible material located in said casing above said chamber and yieldingmeans arranged {50 support said foot rest above said cham- 2. A device for moistening the sole of a boot or shoe having, in combination, a casa ranged to support said foot rest above said chamber.

4. A device for moistening the sole of a boot or shoe having, in combination, a casing, provided with a chamber adapted 'to contain water, aperforated foot rest in said casing above said chamber and yielding means arranged to supportsaid foot rest above 'said-chamber, said casing having an opening in one side thereofabove said foot "rest through which said boot may be inserted.

5. A device for moistening the sole of a boot or shoe having, in combination, a casing provided with a chamber adapted to contain water, a perforated foot rest in said casing above said chamber, yielding means arranged to support said foot rest above said chamberand a stop adapted to engage said footrest and limit the distance to which saidfoot rest may be moved by said yielding means. 7

6. A device for moistening the sole of a boot or shoe having, in combination, a, casing provided with a chamber adapted to contain water, a perforated foot rest in said casing above said chamber, yielding means arranged to support said foot rest above said chamber and a cover for'said casing extending entirely across and above said foot rest, there being'a space between said cover and foot. rest into which the boot of the user may be inserted.

7. A device for moistening the sole of a boot or shoe having, in combination, a casing provided with a chamber adapted to contain water, a perforated foot rest in said casing above said chamber, yielding means arranged to support said foot rest above said chamber, said casing having an opening in one side thereof above said foot rest through which said boot may be inserted and a cover hinged to said casing and extending over said chamber, said cover provided with a hole and a receptacle in said casing beneath said hole.

8. A device for moistening the sole of a boot or shoe having, in combination, a casing provided with a chamber adapted to contain water, a perforated foot rest in said casing above said chamber, yielding means arranged to support said foot rest above said chamber, said casing having an opening in one side thereof above said foot rest through which said boot may be inserted and a cover hinged to said casing and extending over said chamber, said cover provided with a hole, a conical flange on said cover surrounding said hole and a receptacle in said'casing beneath said hole.

' 9. A device, for moistening the sole of a boot or shoe having, in combination, a casing provided with a chamber adapted to contain water, aperforatedfoot rest in said casing above said chamber, yielding means arranged to support said foot rest above .said chamber, said casing having an opening in one side thereof above said foot rest, a cover for saidcasing extending over said chamber and having a semi-cylindrical portion located above said opening in the side of said chamber, whereby a boot may be inserted beneath said cover and above said foot rest for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ARTHUR E. JAMES.

Vitnesses CHARLES S. Goonme, SYDNEY E. TAFT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for fivev cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

